Pacers-Raptors Preview

By MATT BEARDMOREPosted Mar 01 2013 12:29AM

The Indiana Pacers just failed to run their winning streak to a season-best six games. The same thing happened the last time they faced the Toronto Raptors.

Indiana, though, has a chance to extend a different streak Friday night when it goes for its fourth consecutive road win over the Raptors.

Going for its first 6-0 run since a seven-game surge last April 9-19, Indiana (36-22) lost 99-91 to Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

With center Roy Hibbert serving a one-game suspension for his actions in Tuesday's skirmish versus Golden State, the Pacers allowed 50 points in the paint - nearly 15 more than their NBA-best season average of 35.3 - and fell percentage points behind the New York Knicks for second in the Eastern Conference.

"Roy Hibbert makes a big difference in our team," coach Frank Vogel said. "Everybody says he's having a bad year, but he's having a good year. We have the No. 1 defense in the league and he's a big part of it."

Indiana will make its first visit to Toronto since a 90-88 season-opening victory on Oct. 31. Pacers forward David West led all scorers in that contest with 25 points, while Hibbert and Paul George each chipped in with 14.

The Raptors (23-35), though, have won the last two meetings. They are the only team with two victories visiting the Pacers and one of four teams in the East with two wins against them.

After ending their four-game skid in their series with a 74-72 victory on Nov. 13, the Raptors also snapped Indiana's 15-game home unbeaten streak with a 100-98 overtime win on Feb. 8.

Newcomer Rudy Gay scored 17 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter of that game, including a jumper with 1.7 seconds left, to kick-start Toronto's season high-tying five-game winning streak.

The Raptors, though, have dropped three of four since that surge. They are six games back of eighth-place Milwaukee after losing 103-92 at Cleveland on Wednesday.

"Winning fixes everything," said Gay, who is averaging 20.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in 12 games since being acquired from Memphis on Jan. 30. "This is still new to me. That's why I get so frustrated when things happen out there. I'm still trying to figure things out. It's definitely not easy losing. I'm not here to lose. I don't think anybody else is here to lose."

Gay is doing his part, as is DeMar DeRozan, who has 59 points in the last two games. The Raptors, though, will likely need stronger bench play on Friday when they face one of the deepest teams in the league.

"We can't play our starters 48 minutes," coach Dwane Casey said after Toronto's reserves were outscored 39-8 by the Cavs' bench. "I wish we could. The guys coming off the bench have to be ready to play."

Toronto's bench has outscored Indiana's reserves 93-57 in 2012-13.

Danny Granger could give the Pacers' second unit a boost after scoring 12 points in 19 minutes - both season highs - on Thursday. It was his third game after missing the first 55 with a knee injury.

The Raptors last beat Indiana three times in a season in 2007-08, when they won three of four.

Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

George leads Pacers to 93-81 win over Raptors

By IAN HARRISONPosted Mar 01 2013 11:01PM

TORONTO (AP) Paul George and the Indiana Pacers wanted payback for a pair of home losses to Toronto. They got it Friday night against the suddenly struggling Raptors.

George had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and David West added 15 points and 11 rebounds in Indiana's 93-81 victory over Toronto.

"This is a huge win," George said. "This team beat us twice at home and we came here trying to get some revenge. We really wanted to win this one tonight."

Roy Hibbert returned from a one-game suspension to score 18 points as the Central Division leaders won for the sixth time in seven games. Hibbert sat out Thursday's home loss to the Clippers after a shoving match with David Lee in Tuesday's victory over Golden State.

"Clearly we're a different team (with Hibbert)," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "He guards the rim as well as any big guy in the NBA. He's a big factor in why we're the No. 1 defensive team in the league and he gives us some offensive punch, too."

Rudy Gay scored 21 points and Alan Anderson had 14 for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and four of five.

Gay was bothered by back spasms but said the pain was nothing serious.

"I tried to play through it because it's not the time to sit out," he said.

George scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, nine of them on 3-pointers, including one with 9:56 left that put the Pacers up 72-53, their biggest lead of the game.

"That was when the game was decided, for sure," Vogel said.

This was the first time in four meetings between the teams this season that the margin of victory was more than two points. The Pacers won 90-88 at Toronto on opening night, Oct. 31, but had since lost twice at home, 74-72 on Nov. 13, and 100-98 in overtime on Feb. 8.

That loss, in which the Pacers coughed up a late lead, snapped a 15-game home winning streak and left Indiana focused on this return encounter as a chance for revenge.

"We wanted to make sure we got that win tonight," Hibbert said. "We felt we let one go the last time we played them."

Making his fourth appearance of the season after a 55-game absence caused by a left knee injury, Indiana's Danny Granger scored eight points in 10 minutes. He was rested in the second half with the Pacers on the second night of a back-to-back.

With Chicago idle, Indiana increased its lead atop the Central Division to 3 1/2 games. The Pacers host the Bulls on Sunday night.

"This team is growing. We're getting better," Hibbert said. "Danny is back and we've got guys who are going to step up and lead."

Toronto's 12 assists were one more than its season low of 11 in a Nov. 28 loss at Memphis.

"You're not going to get a lot done with that against a good offensive team," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

The Raptors fell 6 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the race for the final playoff berth in the East. They visit the Bucks on Saturday.

"We have no choice but to come out tomorrow and play our best basketball," DeMar DeRozan said. "We've had three tough games and we've been struggling, so we have to come out and bounce back."

Indiana made just seven of 20 shots in the first period but Toronto was even worse, hitting only three of 17 attempts. The Raptors kept it close by making seven of eight at the free throw line, but the Pacers led 17-13 after one thanks to six points from Granger. Toronto's 13 points in the first were a season low.

DeRozan had the most impressive basket of the second quarter, a one-handed jam over Ian Mahinmi with 6 seconds left. DeRozan scored six points in the second but the Pacers got six from Hibbert to lead 39-34 at halftime.

Hibbert and West each scored eight points in the third as the Pacers closed the quarter on an 11-4 run, taking a 64-51 lead into the fourth.

NOTES: Indiana outrebounded Toronto 43-30. ... The Raptors have not won a season series against Indiana since 2007-08. ... Toronto went 7-5 in February, its first winning month since January 2010, when it was 10-5. ... Saturday's game at Milwaukee is the first of a four-game road trip for the Raptors. They'll also visit Golden State, Phoenix and the Lakers. ... Actor Steve Schirripa attended the game.

Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Pacers 93, Raptors 81

THE FACTS: The Indiana Pacers (37-22) extended their dominance over the Toronto Raptors (23-36) at Air Canada Centre, winning their fourth game in a row 93-81 on Friday night. The Pacers rebounded in their second game of a back-to-back with their signature, gritty, tough smash-mouth basketball style, winning their sixth in seven games. Paul George's 22-point and 10 rebound double-double, coupled with David West's 15-point and 11 rebound double-double led the way for the Pacers. Roy Hibbert returned from serving a one-game suspension, and added 18 points.

The Pacers set the tone early, holding the Raptors to a season-low 13 points in the first quarter.

By halftime the Pacers were up 39-34, but their 11-5 run to close the third quarter giving them a 64-51 only widened in the fourth quarter. Their 8-2 run to start the fourth on a George 3-pointer widened the lead to 19 points, the highest of the game, providing a deficit Toronto could not overcome.

The Raptors were led by Rudy Gay's 21 points, while Alan Anderson and John Lucas came off the bench and scored 14 and 10 points respectively.

QUOTABLE: "This is a huge win, this team beat us twice at home and we came here trying to get some revenge." -- Pacers forward George.

THE STAT: The officials were active, calling 49 fouls between both teams, however they weren't playing in the game. The Pacers' tough, physical play and their ability to bully and have their way in the paint gave them the edge in that department, outscoring the Raptors 40-30.

TURNING POINT: George's third 3-point shot of the night with 9:56 left in the fourth put the Pacers up 72-53, providing them with their biggest lead of the game at 19. It was his eleventh point of a 19-2 Pacers run that carried over from the third quarter. The Raptors .382 shooting for the night could not help them get back in the game.

QUOTABLE II: We just know that if we come in, hit first, have that aggression level, especially on the defensive end, we'll create opportunities for ourselves on the offensive end."-- Pacers forward West.

HOT: Danny Granger, in his fourth game of the season after missing the first 55 with a knee injury, looked comfortable in the first half. He shot 3-for-5 from the floor for eight points, three rebounds and one steal in 10 minutes of play. The Pacers held him out of the second half as it was the second game of a back-to-back.

NOT: DeMar DeRozan averaged 19.8 points a game in February, yet couldn't get on track Friday night, shooting 2-for-10 from the field and 5-for-10 from the free throw line, with nine points.

NOTABLE: The season series is split at 2-2 with both teams winning on the road. The Pacers outrebounded the Raptors, 43-30. The Raptors scored a season-low 13 points in the first quarter and shot .167 (3-for-17) from the field. Actor, Steve Schirripa, from the TV show The Sopranos sat courtside. The Raptors start a four-game road trip at Milwaukee on Saturday. Toronto's bench has outscored Indiana's reserves 103-87, prior this season.